


Of Final Meetings

by prettybirdy979



Series: Meetings [3]
Category: Doctor Who (2005), Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-01
Updated: 2012-11-01
Packaged: 2017-11-17 12:40:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/551676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettybirdy979/pseuds/prettybirdy979
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three old men, sharing tales over tea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Final Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> Be warned, this is sad. Thanks to PipMer for looking it over.

Sherlock didn’t glance up at the sound of the TARDIS, preferring to finish the page he was reading. He did smile at the sound of falling bricks, just as he recalled.  
  
“You’re two minutes late Doctor. And I would advise you came towards me not behind you. The bees are rather touchy this week, I’m waiting on a few results to understand why.”   
  
Sherlock lowered his book as the familiar face appeared in his backdoor, far younger than he ever recalled him being. This was perfect really, he wished he had complimented the Doctor’s recall earlier.  
  
“Bees?” The Doctor asked.   
  
“Bees.” Sherlock confirmed. “John berates me when I forget what planet they are from, but it hardly matters to them if I remember.” He looks down with a slight grimace. “Things are being deleted from my hard drive without my permission.”  
  
The Doctor shrugs. “Well, old age. Happens to the best of us. Sorry, do I know you?”  
  
Sherlock smiles, and it is John’s favourite smile, the one that promises danger and disaster and friendship all in one moment. “Of course you do Doctor.”  
  
“Oh right.”  
  
“Better wording would be, of course you will.” Sherlock stresses. “Now come on, John’s made tea.”  
  
“Oh, I shouldn’t... Really don’t want to cross timelines. Gets all timey-wimey, don’t like that.” Sherlock ignores the man and grabs his arm with a strength unexpected of a man his age.  
  
“You do Doctor, don’t lie to me. You’re curious.” Sherlock half drags the Doctor into the kitchen where John is trying to recall how the Doctor takes his tea.  
  
“Two sugars? Milk... No that’s you Sherlock. Umm..”  
  
“Five sugars and lots of milk John.” Sherlock says, pushing the Doctor into a chair.  
  
“I’ve travelled with you both.” The Doctor deduces. “For a while, if you know my tea.”  
  
“A great deal longer than we should have, yes.” John says placing a cup in front of Sherlock with a small kiss, then the Doctor without it. The Doctor gives him a small pout to which John raises an eyebrow.  
  
“I’m a one man doctor, Doctor. You are not him. No matter how alike you seem-”  
  
“We are not alike!” Both Sherlock and the Doctor say, causing them to glare at another.  
  
“You really are. So, Sherlock. Ready for your big talk?”  
  
“Oh no!” The Doctor says, jumping up. “No spoilers! You keep your talks to yourself please!”  
  
“Doctor, stop and think for a moment-”  
  
“I always think.” The Doctor snaps. “It’s you monkeys who never do.”  
  
“Evidently not!” Sherlock snaps. “I knew you were late! You don’t even know our names at the moment, how could anything I say affect you?”  
  
“I will though and I don’t want to kno-”  
  
“This is our ending Doctor. This here. Set in stone now.” John comments softly. “You can’t change this, you could never change this. This is the last time we meet you...and the first time you meet us.”  
  
The Doctor’s eyes widen. “What?” He whispers.  
  
“You don’t like endings, she said. But everything ends. Will this do for an ending? One you already know is happy..and has happened?” John sits beside Sherlock and puts an arm around his partner.  
  
“I...I...”  
  
“Oh look John, you’ve gone and made him speechless. I wasn’t sure that was possible.” Sherlock teases, leaning into John’s touch.  
  
“Now, wait a moment! I’m not speechless, I’m simply giving you time to think. You lot need all the time you can get to do that. And see, speaking now so not speechless. I’m talking, saying words. Words are such odd things though, so much meaning in a sound. Oh yes, sound! Did I take you to the halls of Vienna? You’re a violinist, would have been remiss if I hadn’t. Though was I banned from there, or the halls of Dune? I can never recall... same sort of places they are but rather different instruments, the-”  
  
“Doctor!” Sherlock interrupts. The Doctor snaps his mouth closed. “You are an intelligent man but you say so much nonsense!”  
  
“Nonsense is cool. Gives you time to think. I knew I recognised you, you’re Sherlock Holmes. Famous detective...And not one who disappeared for any length of time, at least not with your companion. So either the TARDIS got very good at being on time or you never travelled with me.”  
  
“The former. She always did make sense we were where we were needed.” John comments with a smile.   
  
“...I’ve been here before.” The Doctor realises. “In your timeline. You know every detail about this meeting..camera?”  
  
“Microphone. No visuals, though the audio alone gave me a good image of our future selves.  
  
“I let you listen to an audio of yourself? Doesn’t sound like me.”  
  
John laughed. “You never let Sherlock do anything, Doctor. Doesn’t stop him.”  
  
The Doctor groans. “You’re one of those. You’re going to wander off, I know it.”  
  
Sherlock smiles. “Always do Doctor.” A coughing fit overtakes him, forcing him to bend down and John to move to his side and place an arm on his shoulders.  
  
“You’re dying.” The Doctor whispers.  
  
“Yes. Four months left.” Sherlock states and John looks away. He knows this man, knows he is now seeing the signs of illness in Sherlock...the signs of exhaustion in John. Neither man will see the year out.   
  
“I cou-”  
  
“No.” John whispers. “You can’t. You never could. Just listen, Doctor. That’s all we wanted. Two old men telling their stories one last time. Is that too much to ask?”  
  
The Doctor smiles sadly. “Never too much to ask. Three old men, sharing tales over tea.”  
  
“Just don’t repeat yourself, Doctor.” Sherlock challenges. “Show us how clever you really are.”  
  
“Oooh a challenge. Love me a challenge. You’re on.”


End file.
